Web Services basics

The basic Web Services architecture includes the following:

  • Publishing - Publishing a Web Service means enabling a Web Service user (consumer) to locate the service description and instructing the consumer how they should interact with the Web Service.
  • Consuming (client) - A client is software that is able to use (consume) a Web Service. A service consumer issues one or more queries to the directory to locate a service and determine how to communicate with that service. 
  • Service - A collection of EndPoints that provides the servicing of the consumers request.
  • EndPoint (port) - An EndPoint indicates a specific location for accessing a Web Service using a specific protocol and data format.